Real value lies beyond top tier

Vladimir Guerrero has five tools and an aura of mystery after playing seven years in front of empty seats in Montreal. Greg Maddux goes on the market with those always-desirable Cy Young comparisons and, if history is a guide, a bound-and-collated presentation by Scott Boras.

While this year's free-agent crop isn't the strongest in memory, it has enough star appeal to get by. But the action isn't always confined to All-Stars. Several players a notch or two below the big names will attract plenty of interest. Here's a list of 12 second- or even third-tier free agents whose agents will be busy boys: